Re: Article on dementia

[katy]

(Sorry I realized I started a new topic without meaning to. I guess the following should go here as it’s on the dementia topic.)

I have an old girl whom I adopted as an old girl. Only been with me 5 years. She has horrible dementia now. Spins in circles until she falls. I haven’t seen her walk straight in weeks. She cries- or should I say screams – at night. She’s starting to do so during the day now. On the positive, she does have a voracious appetite. But I have to hold her in place so she can eat. She is about 25 pounds. She was on 5 mg of selegeline (anipryl). When her dose was doubled the symptoms seemed to have gotten worse. The anxiety, the spinning, the screaming… It’s heart-wrenching.

I guess I’m looking for a miracle. Is there something I’ve missed? She wears a sweater and harness. I’ve not tried the ginko, the fish oil in a while, and all the other things.

I feel like I screwed her up with doubling the dose of selegeline. But her life wasn’t that great before that either.

Am I being selfish holding on to her? What more can I do? Dr. McCullough, have you ever seen a dog – not recover – but improve to better quality of life after living like this for several weeks?

I’d appreciate any advice.

I know it’s inevitable, her death. But I’d like to give her every opportunity to bounce back to a bit of her old self. But most truthfully, I don’t want to feel the excruciating pain of her passing.

Thank you.